Random Fireworks

Ya'll know what a total nut job I am about fireworks. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them...so, tonight we were sitting here and all of a sudden there were loud popping noises. Now, having just come out of Durham I was sure it was gunfire...but I was wrong. The Polynesian Cultural Center (for reasons unknown to us...Mormon holiday?) put on THE most awesome fireworks display tonight. Every blast seemed like it must be the finale...but it wasn't...it kept going for 15 minutes of glorious splendor...thank you, PCC.

Shameless Plugs

The things you do for your kids...jeez. Ok, so yesterday I learn that Girl Scout Cookie Sales are in my immediate future. This I can do...no problem. All week though(seriously), I have been hit by fundraising stuff. Eve's public education sure is costing us a lot of money. (I know...private school would be more expensive.) First, they wanted us to sell glow in the dark Scooby shirts. I'm not kidding. I threw the thing away or I would have scanned one in to show you guys. OMG. Then, I got the Scholastic Book order (which I also don't mind too much)...it gives her school money and we get cheap books but it seems to come out a lot... anyway, win-win situation in my humble opinion. Today, I come home and she's got a Jump Rope for Heart donation packet. I'm not sure if this money goes to the school or if all of it goes to the American Heart Association, BUT what I'm getting at is this...
If you would like to donate money to the Jump Rope for Heart campaign...I have set up a webpage (which I emailed to all of our family) or you can send a donation here. If you donate on the site, you have to donate at least $25...you can send less here if you are so inclined. Money is due on Feb. 10th. Thank you in advance.
My second shameless plug is for her Daisy troop and Girl Scouts of Hawaii. They are sending Girl Scout cookies to our military men and women that are deployed. It is not practical for us to sell you cookies and ship them, but if you would like to support Eve's troop and donate cookies to an awesome cause...send a check for your donation amount. The cookies are $4.00 per box and we need to have it in by February 28th.
Thank you for reading about our current fundraising events. This ends the shameless plug.

Daisies

It's official...I'm all set to run my 1st Girl Scout troop. Eve is going to be a Daisy and this fun happens right at cookie time! Normally, I would be super ecstatic about this...but I'm trying to lose 25 freaking pounds before June. I was hoping to get by without cookie sales...but no such luck. Eve's pretty excited about it and 2 girls from her class have signed up...so we are a little troop of 3 at this moment.

Waimea Falls and Makapu'u Lighthouse

This weekend, we went outside and did stuff. We have been fairly active the past few weekends, which has been nice since being cooped up with a cold and pneumonia earlier in the month. Also, our friend, Madison, is here for a month...so that always makes us go out and do more. Saturday, Madison and I went with Eve to Waimea Falls. CRH and Eve had been there with Kevin and Julie and the kids back in October. In November a rock slide closed the park and it just re-opened on January 19th. It was a beautiful day to go too...not too hot and not very crowded. Madison swam to the fall and Eve put her toes in. I took pictures on the side...it was too chilly for me!



Sunday, CRH was off and we went to Makapu'u Lighthouse. There is a hike along the shore that overlooks the lighthouse and you can often see whales. We didn't see any whales...apparently we weren't looking at the right times...but it was a pretty hike. Here's a pic of the lighthouse and a picture of a butterfly that was just hanging out. There were lots of birds and butterflies...just no whales. I want to take a whale watching tour within the next month or so. It is prime whale time here!

44 Days

until Hawaii is perfect...44 days until the 2 Targets open on the island...I couldn't be more excited than if you told me I was going to DisneyLand. Bye bye, Kmart...Hello Target!!

Hawaiian Monk Seal

I talked to my friend, Amy Jo, earlier in the week and she told me that a Hawaiian Monk Seal had come up on the beach in Ka'a'awa right across from the ranch where she works. Eve and I rushed down there and the volunteer guarding her told us some interesting tidbits that I will share with you guys. There are only 1300 of these left in the world. We have seen 2 of them in the "wild" and 2 in captivity. This one is from Kauai (how they know this...I have no idea and she wasn't tagged...but ok). She is currently pregnant and had probably come out of the water because either it was too rough or there were a lot of predators (sharks) out that day. She came out at 6am and they anticipated she would return around 11pm. She was gone the next day. She didn't do much while we were there except snore and roll over...but here's a picture of her on both sides.

Weight Loss Challenge

Ok, I've got to lose the last 25lbs...seriously. I lost 25lbs last year doing Jenny Craig and then we moved and then I got complacent again. It's time ... so my friend, Becky, and I have decided to do a weight loss challenge. We are going to start today (you can start whenever if you want to participate) and weigh in every Monday starting this coming Monday, January 27th. The goal date is June 1st and we propose that if you want to participate you agree to put $20 in a pool...whoever loses the biggest percentage wins the pool of money. In order to do the percent lost, you will have to report your start weight to Becky and then weekly you would just email your loss (or gain). She's going to do the Math (thankfully!!). Let me know if you are interested. We're going to do our own plans. I think I may try Weight Watchers online. Here I go again!!!

Hula Festival and Manoa Falls

Yesterday, the Hart Family had a nice, Hawaiian day! We started the day attending part of a hula festival across the street at the Polynesian Cultural Center. It featured several groups performing beautiful hula dancing. I must admit we got a little bored after the 1st few though...so we left.



Then, we went to Manoa Falls. It was gorgeous! You hike 1 1/2 miles up a trail (yes, I did it too!) and this is what is at the end! A beautiful 150 ft. waterfall...

The Power of the People

It was strong tonight at Ka'a'awa Elementary School. Wow...a lot of people turned out for such a small school. The people were impassioned too. One guy stood up and made quite the speech. He spoke about the power of the people and how the Hawaiian people living in Kahana Bay saved their land a few weeks ago. He was right. I won't go into all the details of that story, but basically the state tried to quickly force several low-income families out of their homes and after a huge grassroots campaign emerged...they are still there. The DOE was there to answer questions. You would think they could form coherent, grammatically correct sentences...you would be wrong. I thought CRH was going to pass out when the guy used the word "behinder" and then he repeated it like 3 times in a row.

No Child Left Behind results out today...Hawaii is last. Today in the car, Eve tells me all about the sun being a star and how it's hotter and bigger than the Earth and the moon, etc. She goes on forever about it. I didn't learn this stuff in Kindergarten...now in other parts of the country Kindergarten students may be learning Algebra III and Chemistry, but I was pretty impressed.

So, the long and short of it is that a task force must be formed to examine if and when the school will close. This will likely take forever (it is HI time after all). The school is closed tomorrow though (like all the schools across the state). State, County, and City offices are all closed tomorrow because there is a forecast of high winds. Yes, I'm serious. It's like in NC when they close schools because they say it's going to snow and then it dusts the ground. The winds were supposed to start this evening. It's 11:25pm and nothing...later tonight may bring some 40-50mph gusts...who knows?

Ka'a'awa Elementary School

Well, well...guess I should read the papers more...it appears the DOE wants to close Eve's school. That school has been open for 104 years...it's such a cute school. They have an excellent staff and we adore her teacher. Eve has learned a lot from her! Anyway, the DOE has determined that the school needs more repairs than are cost effective...so they want to close it down. Apparently, mid year (like in December- who knew?)but then the DOE decided to develop a task force to determine if and when and why the school will close. Hmmm...seems to me if the DOE put the money they are going to waste on a freaking task force into the school, that could help...but who am I to suggest such madness? There is a meeting at the school on Thursday to get more information. I'm not a participater in most events of this nature, but I hate for the school to close...we really love it there. So, we are going...

Lost Orange Cat with Purple Collar

The ad reads on Craig's List...it seems Buddy has wandered away. He has not been spotted by the family in a few days (Wednesday). I'm a little (very) worried at this point. I hope dogs didn't eat him, or he got run over, or he found a nicer (quite possibly) family, or....

I'm not loving today. Eve's currently at church with the Mormon neighbors...for 3 hours. What do they do that long? Our friend, Paul, had some hilarious suggestions as I was discussing the incident with him this morning. I feel horrible (not that she's at church) but for why they invited her. Sundays, we sleep in...always. Today, she let herself outside and has apparently forgotten how to open the door...so she felt locked out and started crying. They apparently saw her crying and came to the door and offered to take her to church. She was quite happy to go...I have sat here feeling neglectful of her (and the cat). Maternal guilt sure is a bitch...oh and yes, these are the SAME neighbors that came over for the answering of the door alone incident. I may just move into a trailor, start drinking and smoking heavily, and call CPS on myself. (not that there is anything wrong with living in a trailor...)

My Dream Job

It has come to me...I FINALLY know what I want to do with my life. I didn't even know it was a career until tonight. Eve and I were watching the Food Network's Childhood Unwrapped show...all the old time favorites...when I saw it. I could be a...wait for it...Snack Cake Specialist. Holy Crap! It's what I was meant to do with my life!! I LOVE snack cakes!! Now, I'm just wondering if the benefits package comes with free tummy tucks and lipo.

ROYGBIV

Eve and I saw the most perfect rainbow today over Waimea Bay. It had every distinct color in it...it was stunning. We really do see a lot of rainbows here...more in town and on the other side of island. Of course, I didn't have my camera...sadly.
CRH is getting a little better. Our Dr., Skippy, told him today that this won't be what kills him...so that's good news. He's still home but has been a very nice patient (as he pointed out to me this morning).

Mother of The Year...

is not up for grabs by me again this year...damn it. I made it to January 5th this year...which is MUCH better than last year when I lost it on the 1st. My crime this year...letting Eve answer the door while I was in the bathroom and her Dad was in the bed. I come out of the bathroom and she's holding a package and some gum. She told me our neighbors had given it to her. I asked why she waited to open it (she had been playing with them earlier in the day...so I assumed she had gotten it then). She informed me that she had not waited...they just gave it to her. I asked when...very confused as to how this had happened in the 5 seconds I was gone from her sight. They apparently knocked on the door...she opened it...talked with them...closed the door. We had a very stern conversation about not answering the door when your parents are NOT available. I mean it's Hawaii and fortunately it was our neighbors at the door...but still...only 360 days til I get to try again...
Woo Hoo!!

Pneumonia

CRH has got it. He just sent me a text a little while ago that he was at the after hours clinic with breathing treatments and a diagnosis. The Dr. has ordered him home for a week. Eve doesn't go back to school until 1/13/09...holy crap.

I'm A Bartender No More

Today, I quit my job at the Crouching Lion. I called today to get my schedule and was informed that they want their bartenders to work at least 3 shifts a week...which is different from what I was told a few months ago when they didn't want anyone working a lot of hours...but whatever. So, I called CRH for some guidance (dare I work 6 days per week??)and we decided this was my sign to hang it up. There are so many things that I fundamentally disagreed with there. I'm glad I did it...I met some cool people (Khristy and Wally are my most faves!), but it's time to move on.

Happy 2009!

I have to say that here at the Hart house we loved 2008. The beginning of the year was a bit tedious, but after we found out we were moving to Hawaii, things started looking WAY up. We are very fortunate to be here!! On that note, I'm enjoying being back on the island after 2 fabulous weeks at home!
Eve and I went to NC on December 13th and got home on the 29th. CRH came for Sam and Amy's wedding, but sadly could not stay for Christmas. We got to see almost everyone we wanted to and were able to spend Christmas at home. Today I have the task of putting away all of our luggage and presents. We may need to move to accommodate Eve's haul. I am sooooo proud of my parents this year! Instead of giving us a bunch of "stuff", they bought 2 water buffaloes (Pit and Fat) from Heifer International. Look this agency up...they rock! I hope that this is a tradition that continues.
Well, it's time to restore order to the house. Happy New Year to you all!